Tong return block



June 1 8,"1963 3. L. McALLlSTER $094,222 TONG RETURN BLOCK Filed April 19, 1962 s Sheets-Sheet 1 June 18 1963 J. L. MCALLISTER 3,094,222

TONG RETURN BLOCK Filed April 19, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 WPIIIW WWW Jess L. McA/l/s/er, INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

June 18, 1963 J, M ALLISTER 3,094,222

TONG RETURN BLOCK Filed April 19, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 F/GURE l0 Jess L. McA/l/sfer, INVENTOR.

FIGURE 9 1 ATTORNEY United States Patent M 3,094,222 TONG RETURN BLOCK Jess L. McAllister, 1220 Michigan Ave., Orofino, Idaho Filed Apr. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 188,772 4 Claims. (Cl. 212-87) This invention relates generally to a whiz line type log hauling or loading device, and more particularly to such a device having a tong block, return-able along a whiz line by gravity, which automatically releases its carried tongs upon return.

-In the logging industry, particularly in the rougher areas of the Western States, it has become common to transport cut logs from the area where felled to a loading or docking area by use of a so called whiz line, a wire rope suspended above the area in question, operating as a track over which a tong carrying pulley block of one sort or another may operate. It has been found from practical experiment that to most conveniently haul logs by whiz line from an area the hauling must be done from a lower point to a higher point, whether in the woods or in a pond or decking area. With these factors in mind:

It is a principal object of my invention to provide a tong return block for use in conjunction with a whiz line, which when returned to a loading area by gravity along said whiz line will automatically release logging tongs carried by it.

A second and further object of my invention is to provide a tong return block of the nature aforesaid that may be returned to a loading position from a decking position by gravity without the use of a live pull-back A still further object of my invention is to provide a device of the nature aforesaid of simple, compact, rugged construction, and of economical manufacture and design.

For further comprehension of my invention and the objects and advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following specification and accompanying drawings and appended claims, wherein the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of the specification, and in which like numbers of reference refer to similar parts throughout:

FIGURE 1 is a semi-diagrammatic view of a logging scene showing my invention in use dragging a log along a whiz line in conjunction with a double drum. crane.

FIGURE 2 is a partially cut away surface orthographic view of my invention, showing the surface configuration and working parts of the live line pulley thereof.

FIGURE 3 is a surface orthographic view of the front view of my invention showing the arrangement and design of various parts.

FIGURE 4 is a partially cut away view of the releasable tong carrier and its housing, showing its configuration and working parts.

FIGURE 5 is a partial cross-sectional view, taken on the line 5 of FIGURE 3 in the direction indicated by the arrow thereon, showing the inner workings of the whiz line pulley.

FIGURE 6 is an orthographic side view of the whiz line stop mechanism of my invention, showing the configuration and relation of the various parts thereof.

FIGURE 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of FIGURE 6, taken on the line 77 in the direction indicated by the arrows thereon, showing the various working parts of this member.

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 6, taken on the line 8-8 thereon in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE -9 is another cross-sectional view of FIGURE 6, taken on the line 99 in the direction indicated by the arrows.

3,094,222 Patented June 18, 1963 FIGURE l0 is a partial isometric view of the locking mechanism of the stop device, showing the nature of the cam action thereof.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, and particularly to those of FIGURES 2 to 5, respectivel there will be seen my tong block. It will be seen that this tong block 11 comprises essentially the upper whiz line pulley and housing 12 pivotably communicating with the lower tong pulley and housing 13 which in turn releasably carries the tong ring '14 in its lower portion.

The whiz line pulley housing 12 comprises the two similar sheet-like side members 15, structurally communicating by means of the upper support piece 16 and lower pivot shelf 17. The forward portion 18 of the side members 15 has a configuration adapted to present a fiat surface to strike against the forward portion of the stop mechanism, substantially as illustrated. The pivot shelf '17 is a planar member of the shape illustrated adapted to support the pivot pin 23 therethrough and is given additional structural rigidity by means of the opposed paired pivot shelf supports 24, preferably substantially vertically below the whiz line pulley axle 21. These various members are preferably rigidly joined by welding.

The whiz line pulley 20 is rotatably carried between the side members .15 upon the axle 21 journaled in the opposed side members 15 by means of the paired opposed screw-on type bearings 22 therein. The size and configuration of the whiz line pulley 20 should be such as to run upon the whiz line 25, and allow the tong block 1E1 to conveniently move thereupon.

The lower tong-pulley housing 13 comprises the two similar sheet-like side members 26 structurally communicating by means of the cross-piece fillets 27, all shaped substantially as illustrated. The upper forward portion of the housing 13 carries the paired opposed stop members 28, adapted to cooperate with the member 18 of the upper pulley housing '12 to present a single planar front to abut against the forward portion 55 of the stop mechanism. These stop members 28 also provide support for the lower pivot shelf '29. These various members 28, 26, 29 are preferably rigidly joined by welding. The lower pivot shelf 29 is additionally supported by the paired opposed support mernbers 30 communicating between the two paired side supports 31, 32, and held in communication therewith by means of a nut and bolt 33 communicating through mutually aligned holes therethrough.

The tong pulley 34 is rotatably carried within the housing 13 upon the axle 35 appropriately journaled in the side members 26 by opposed paired screw-on type bearings 36.

The lowermost forward portion of the housing 13 structurally carries the cylindrical tong-ring housing 37,

projecting slightly below the lowermost surface of the tong pulley housing 113. This member 37 has an axially aligned central chamber, the lowermost portion flared to receive the upper portion of the tong-ring 14, and the uppermost portion of sufficient size to permit clearance for a live cable 38 fastened through the upper cable eye 39 of the tong-ring 14. The tong-ring housing 37 is provided with two diametrically opposed bores 40, substantially perpendicular to the sides 26 of the housing '13, adapted to permit the two plugs 41 to he inserted therein but yet not pass completely therethrough. The outer surface of the tong-ring housing 37, immediately adjacent the bores 40 is provided with the threaded shoulder 42 adapted to engage the spring caps 49.

The cylindrical plugs 41 have a rounded nose 44 adapted to fit within the circular groove 45 of the tong-ring 14, and a rearward shoulder 46 adapted, in combination with the shoulder 47 of the bore 40, to prevent the plug 41 from passing completely inwardly through the bore 40, but yet give it free outward movement in said bore. A

compression spring 48 is provided to fit within the bore 40 and a spring cap 49 is provided to threadedly engage the shoulder 42 of the tong-ring housing 37 so that when assembled as iilustrated, with the plugs 41 in the bores 40 and the compression spring 48 communicating between the spring cap 49 and the plug 41, the plug will be maintained in a normally biased inward position. The spring caps 49 may be adjusted to increase or decrease the tension on the compression spring 48 by moving them inwardly or outwardly upon the threaded shoulder 42.

A half cylindrical shield member 50 is provided on the lower tong pulley housing 13 to protect the outwardly projecting spring caps 49 and an angularly disposed outward guard member 51 is provided communicating from the outer projection of the member 50 to the side members 26 to give additional protection and rigidity.

The upper whiz line pulley housing 12 is held in a rotatable structural communication with the lower tong pulley housing 13 by the double headed pivot pin 23 supported between the upper pivot shelf 17 and lower pivot shelf 29. At least one of the heads of the pin 23 are preferably removable for simple assemblage and dis-assemblage.

The tong-ring 14 is a member substantially of the shape illustrated, having a iconic-like body 52 carrying the groove 45 thereabout, the tong hook 53 at its lowermost portion and the cable hook 54 at its uppermost portion. The groove 45 is so shaped and positioned so that when the tong-ring member 14 is held within the housing 37 the inwardly projecting plugs 41 will fit within the groove 45 and thus, by reason of their inwardly biased nature, will maintain the tong-ring member 14 in the housing 37 with some force.

The whiz line stop member is best illustrated in FIG- URES 6 through 10. It comprises the forward stop member 55 maintained in a space position from the rearward locking member 56 by the compression spring 57.

The forward stop member 55 comprises the two similar hollow, cylindrical halves 58, 59, having the outwardly projecting ears 60 adapted to aid in holding the two members together, in conjunction with cap bolts 61 passing through paired opposed holes therein. The forwardmost portion of this member is provided with a cap 62 having an axially aligned circular hole 63 therein, adapted to fit over the whiz line cable 25 and allow free passage of this cable 25 therethrough. The lower member 59 is provided with the downward stop projection 64 adapted to mate with the cooperating stop surfaces 18, 28 of the housings 12, 13.

Both members 58, 59 cooperate in their rearward portions to form a cylindrical chamber to receive the forward portion of the compression spring 57.

The rearward locking portion 56 of the stop member comprises the two similar paired members 65, 66 supported in hingeable communication by the hinge 67. The forward portion 68 of the member 56 has an axially aligned cylindrical chamber adapted to receive the compression spring 57 and allow the whiz line 25 to pass therethrough. The rearward portion of the member 56 has an axially aligned cylindrical hole therein of a diameter slightly smaller than a whiz line 25 passing therethrough, so that the line 25 may be rigidly held within said member 56 when it be clamped tightly together. Two opposed outwardly projecting fastening ears 70 are provided on the side of the member 56 opposite the hinged portion. A headed pin 71 passes through paired opposed holes in the ears 71, and carries the pin 73 through the unheaded end substantially perpendicular to the axis of the pin 71. The pin 73 passes through the opposed yoke arms of the clamping lever 74, the lower portion of said flever being of a substantially elliptical shape so as to provide a clamping action in said member or a releasing action, depending upon the movement of the clamping lever 74. The compression spring 57 extends between the rearward locking member 56 and the forward stop member 55, thus 4 holding the two in spaced relation, as illustrated, to provide a shock absorbing cushion therebetween.

The operation of my device is best shown in the illustration of FIGURE 1. Here it is used in connection with a two-drum crane, though the same system obviously may be used with other high-line logging systems. One drum 75 of the crane 76, powered by a prime mover 77, carries the whiz line 25, which passes through the crane boom and over the boom pulley 78 to a deadhead 79 appropriately positioned in a loading area. The live cable 38 passes from the live cable drum 81 over the second boom pul'ley 78 to the tong block 11, thence around the tong pulley 34 to the cable hook 54 0f the tong ring member 14. An appropriate logging tong 82, of a variety well known in the art and commerce, is carried by the tong hook 53 of the tong ring member 14. The rearward stop member 56 is positioned on the whiz line 25 at an appropriate position for log loading, where it is desired that the logging tongs 82 be dropped. The crane 76 is positioned within boom length of the place where it be desired that logs be loaded.

In operation, the logging tongs 82 are fastened to a log 83 desired to be hauled and power from the prime mover 77 is applied to the live cable drum 81, thus winding the cable on the drum 81. This causes the tong-ring member 14 to be drawn toward the crane 76 while the tong block 11 is still being carried upon the whiz line 25, so that the tong-ring member 14 and tong block 11 are drawn back toward the crane 76. Power is continued on the live cable drum 81, until the tong block 11 and carried log 83 come back near the end of the crane boom. The whiz line drum 75 is then released, the crane 76 pivoted and the log 83 positioned where desired. Power is continued on the live line 38 until the tong-ring 14 becomes engaged in the housing 37 carried by the member 13.

Tension is then released on the live cable 38, and the logging tong 82 will automatically release its load. The whiz line cable drum 75 is then powered to tension the whiz line cable 25 and the live line cable drum 81 is released. Gravity acting upon the tong block 11 will then carry it back downwardly along the tensioned whiz line 25 until it strikes the forward portion 55 of the stop member. When this occurs, the impact will release the tong-ring member 14 from its position in the tong-ring housing 37, and the device will be ready for operation again according to the aforesaid cycle. The tension in the plugs 41 obviously must be adjusted to such a point that the impact of the tong block 11 against the stop 28 will cause the tong-ring member 14 to release as aforesaid.

The foregoing description is necessarily of a detailed, specific character so that a specific embodiment of my invention may be clearly set forth. It is understood that various rearrangements of parts, multiplications thereof and modifications of detail may be made in connection with the invention without departing from its spirit, scope or essence.

Having thusly described my invention, what I desire to protect by Letters Patent and what I claim is:

1. In a highline logging system of the nature aforesaid, the combination of a tong block having an upper whiz line pulley journaled in a protective housing carrying a pivot plate at the lower portion thereof, a lower live line pulley journaled in a protective housing carrying a pivot plate in the upper portion thereof and a tong-ring housing in the lower forward portion thereof adapted to releasably carry a tong-ring member therein, releasable on impact, and a pivot pin pivotably joining said members; a whiz line carrying said tong block and supporting thereon a stop mechanism having a slidable forward member adapted to stop said tong block, a rearward clamping member non-slidably carried by said whiz line and a compression spring therebetween adapted to cause a. tong-ring carried in said tong-ring housing to be released therefrom upon stopping impact; a live line passing over said live line pulley carrying aforesaid tong-ring; a log tong releasably carried by said tong-ring; and means of supporting and moving said cables.

2. For use with a highline log Loader, a tong block of the nature aforesaid, comprising in combination, an upper whiz line pulley journaled in a protective housing carrying a pivot plate at the lower portion thereof; a lower live line pulley journalled in a protective housing carrying a pivot plate in the upper portion thereof and a tong-ring housing in the lower forward portion thereof adapted to releasably carry a tong-ring member therein, said memher being releasable therefrom upon impact; and a pivot pin pivotably joining said upper whiz line pulley housing with the lower live cable pulley housing.

3. For use with a highiine log loader, a tong block of the nature aforesaid, comprising in combination, an upper whiz line pulley journalled in a protective housing carrying a pivot plate at the lower portion thereof; a lower live line pulley journalled in a protective housing carrying a pivot plate in the upper portion thereof and a tong return housing in the lower forward portion thereof adapted to releasably carry a tong return member therein and release said member upon impact, said housing having diametrically opposed bores ltherethrough with plugs therein moveable axially along said bores, but not completely therethrough, said plugs being spring biased to a normally inward position to mate with a corresponding groove in said tong ring member to releasably hold said member in said tong ring housing; and a pivot pin pivotably joining said upper whiz 'line pulley housing with the lower live line pulley housing.

4. In a high line logging system, of the nature aforesaid, a stop member comprising a forward cylindrical part, slidably carried upon a whiz line, having a downwardly projecting stop portion adapted to cooperate with a stop portion of a tong return block and a rearward cylindrical chamber adapted to fit over part of a compression spring about a skyline cable; a rearward longitudinally split, hingeably connected locking member of cylindricall shape comprising a forward portion adapted to fit over part of a compression spring and a rearward portion having an axially aligned cable channel therethrough and a clamping device associated therewith, comprising paired radially outwardly extending ears on each of said halves, opposite their hinged connection, having a headed pin extending therethrough and a cam 'lever pivotably mounted on said pin to cause said eans mo force said parts of said locking member together to clamp said member firmly to a whiz line cable therethrough; and a compression spring communicating between said compression spring chambers of said forward stop member and said rearward locking member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 980,862 Boyd Jan. 3, 1911 1,014,019 Miller et a1. Jan. 9, 1912 1,292,308 Goetz Jan. 21, 1919 1,445,116 Venable Feb. 13, 1923 2,346,956 Wold Apr. 18, 1944 2,403,095 Lear July 2, 1946 

1. IN A HIGHLINE LOGGING SYSTEM OF THE NATURE AFORESAID. THE COMBINATION OF A TONG BLOCK HAVING AN UPPER WHIZ LINE PULLEY JOURNALED IN A PROTECTIVE HOUSING CARRYING A PIVOT PLATE AT THE LOWER PORTION THEREOF, A LOWER LIVE LINE PULLEY JOURNALED IN A PROTECTIVE HOUSING CARRYING A PIVOT PLATE IN THE UPPER PORTION THEREOF AND A TONG-RING HOUSING IN THE LOWER FORWARD PORTION THEREOF ADAPTED TO RELEASABLY CARRY A TONG-RING MEMBER THEREIN , RELEASABLE ON IMPACT, AND A PIVOT PIN PIVOTABLY JOINING SAID MEMBERS; A WHIZ LINE CARRYING SAID TONG BLOCK AND SUPPORTING THEREON A STOP MECHANISM HAVING A SLIDABLE FORWARD MEMBER ADAPTED TO STOP SAID TONG BLOCK, A REARWARD CLAMPING MEMHER NON-SLIDABLY CARRIED BY SAID WHIZ LINE AND A COMPRESSION SPRING THEREBETWEEN ADAPTED TO CAUSE A TONG-RING CARRIED IN SAID TONG-RING HOUSING TO BE RELEASED THEREFROM UPON STOPPING IMPACT; A LIVE LINE PASSING OVER SAID LIVE LINE PULLEY CARRYING AFORESAID TONG-RING; A LOG TONG RELEASABLY CARRIED BY SAID TONG-RING; AND MEANS OF SUPPORTING AND MOVING SAID CABLES. 